Pro Surfers from across the globe help SAS launch radical anti-beach litter campiagn at O'Neill WQS Comp

Surfers from across the globe joined Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) this morning to launch a new anti-beach litter campaign called 'Return To Offender - Address Known' at the O'Neill Highland Open in Thurso, Scotland.

SAS campaigners and O'Neill pro surfers temporarily stopped competing to contact companies whose litter had been found by SAS campaigners polluting the local beaches. Involved in the action were Team O'Neill surfers Nick Rozsa (USA), Noi Kaulukakui (USA), Hugo Savalli (Reunion), Duncan Scott (South Africa) and Sam Lamiroy (UK). The surfers joined SAS in making a mass mobile phone-in from the beach to those companies identified from the litter collected.

The pro surfers and SAS campaigners called on these companies to step up 'the anti-littering' message on their products, to look at using less harmful packaging to ensure products can be broken down naturally without putting wildlife at risk and to promote recycling and/or reuse wherever appropriate. In addition to the phone-in offending litter items have been posted back to the companies head offices. Litter from across the globe was found on the local beach as well as items originating in the UK from companies such as Coca Cola, Glaxo Smith Kline, Dairy Crest, Procter and Gamble, Cadbury Scwepps, Unilever, Pepsico, Tesco, Somerfield, Total Oil, Castrol Oil, and Tesco.

Recent research from the Marine Conservation Society’s 2005 Beachwatch survey found 1,981 pieces of beach litter for every 1km of beach surveyed in the UK.

• Over 70% of all beach litter is plastics.
• A plastic bottle can take over 450 years to break down in the beach environment.
• Beach litter kills over 100,000 beach mammals and sea birds annually through indigestion, suffocation or entanglement.

Andy Cummins SAS campaigner says: “The Return To Offender campaign is our chance to show the manufacturers of this rubbish that we do not accept the ocean and the beach as a dumping ground for their rubbish! They can and must take every possible step to stop their products from littering the world’s coastline however remote”.

Sam Lamiroy O’Neill professional surfer says: “I love the idea behind this campaign, it does exactly what it say on the tin. O’Neill have picked a great venue for this contest, the rugged, virtually empty North coast of Scotland. It’s a pristine environment, but even here we don’t have to look far before the sand and the rocks are broken up by a variety of litter. That’s the extent of the problem- it’s so far out of control! I am glad that SAS have given us this campaigning opportunity to go head to head with those responsible for the litter.”

Back